ANDREW BIAR: Defending free speech, but let’s be adults

Andrew Biar / Strategic Public Affairs

Published
2:30 am CDT, Wednesday, September 9, 2015

In this column I have often said that I will defend the rights of anyone to speak no matter how ignorant, mean-spirited and simply stupid it may be because I am a staunch defender of freedom of speech. Some would call me a radical on this issue. I have a high regard for liberty. I have even gone so far as to say that I would defend a member of the KKK as well as the New Black Panthers. Both organizations are racist.

But, I cannot sit idly by as law enforcement officers are being slain for no reason, as we saw with the tragic shooting of Harris County Deputy Sherriff Darren Goforth and we see more hateful and deplorable comments from groups like the New Black Panthers and others of their ilk spewing an anti-law enforcement rhetoric.

At a recent “march” by the New Black Panthers in Waller county, members of this racist, hate group chanted things like “we will start creeping up on you in the darkness.” At a “march” in Minnesota by Black Lives Matter, participants spewed violent rants against law enforcement including “pigs in a blanket, fry 'em like bacon.” The individual who organized the event, Rashad Turner, said there was nothing wrong with these types of comments. He went further with his questionable leadership and decided he and his group were going to go to the home of Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton to protest because the governor, in his wisdom and respect for law enforcement, had the audacity to call this behavior what it is, “inappropriate.” I think Governor Dayton was being nice. These types of comments are wrong. They are hateful. They are evil. They are deplorable. They are unnecessary.

Yes, this repulsive speech is something I would defend as free speech. But, any time someone threatens “to creep up” on a member of law enforcement or chants “fry’em like bacon,” it needs to be condemned by everyone regardless of ethnicity, economic status or gender.

Anyone who is a leader in a community, be they business, political, social etc., has a responsibility to speak out against this insanity. Everyone from the White House down to the city council level must be publicly standing up for and defending law enforcement by condemning this speech and behavior.

There is no room for this in our society. If we are to find a way to work together to bring resolutions to issues of concern to minorities as it relates to law enforcement, we need respectful discussion and speech. From a strategic point of view this speech and behavior will only serve to further divide our country rather than bring about a solution to the issue. Instead of spewing hate and violence against law enforcement why not peacefully protest and organize meetings and forums to rationally discuss grievances and concerns.

I don’t agree with hate speech laws. We don’t need them. They are anti-free speech. What we do need is adult behavior. However, this type of speech is clearly hateful. Worse yet, it incites violence against the very people who work daily, putting their lives on the line, to keep the peace and protect all of us.

I hope we will see more adult behavior by our leaders by vehemently speaking out against this hateful and violent speech and behavior. Yes, there are bad players in life. Look at sports, business, Hollywood, the military, education or any profession. As the son of a preacher, I even saw it in the ministry. But we should not throw the baby out with the bath water. Pursue the bad actors, not all of law enforcement. I fervently stand by and defend our law enforcement community. I hope you and other leaders in our community and country will join me.

Andrew Biar is president of Strategic Public Affairs, a Houston-based full-service firm that provides strategic advice and counsel to small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, trade associations and PACs. His email is andrew.biar@strategicpublicaffairs.com.